Its cool to be in school

Use summertime to learn something new

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It’s funny how we spend our youths feverishly
anticipating the end of the school year — and the completion of our
educational careers — so we can go on road trips with our friends,
laze around on sandy shores, and start earning a living.Then suddenly we become adults and realize that life
isn’t a beach after all and we don’t know as much as we thought
we did. We slowly start thinking back to something some grownup said about
education being a lifelong process, and we realize that she might have been
on to something.But it’s never too late. Nor is it too late to
sign up for summer courses at a Springfield college or university. Whether it’s to help you earn a degree, brush
up on knowledge and skills, or just to have fun, now is a wonderful time to
go back to school. The summer term at Lincoln Land Community
College (5250 Shepherd Rd., 217-786-2200, www.llcc.edu), which operates six
satellite campuses throughout our region and offers a free online
application, begins June 2. Tuition and fees for in-district students
are $82 per credit hour. In addition to the standard reading, writing, and
arithmetic offered at most institutions of higher learning, LLCC offers
courses in computers, film arts, certified firefighter training, and
law-enforcement administration. The school’s courses in auto body
repair and automotive technology can also help you ensure that your
summertime ride is looking hot. Even if you’re not working toward a degree,
LLCC may have something for you, offering noncredit courses in subjects
such as gardening, American Sign Language, ballroom dance, and financial
planning for gay and lesbian couples. You can also learn how to play the
piano or become a published writer or notary public. The Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services holds one-day mandated reporter training at LLCC as well. Fees for
noncredit classes range anywhere from free to $101. The University of Illinois at Springfield also begins
its summer session June 2. For complete summer course and fee information,
go to www.uis.edu/registration. Although there’s something about the feel of
campus in the summer, many people don’t have the time or means to
commute to the Lake Springfield area. No worry: UIS has been recognized
nationally in the area of online education. Undergraduate online degrees are offered in business,
computer science, economics, English, history, liberal studies,
mathematics, and philosophy. Graduate students can earn online
master’s degrees in environmental and legal studies, management
information systems, public health, and public administration. A number of
professional certification courses, such as community health education and
emergency preparedness and homeland security, are offered online as well. At Springfield College-Benedictine University (1500
N. Fifth St., 217-525-1420, www.sci.edu), undergraduate courses for adults
are now under way, with the next session starting June 30. The
college’s accelerated MBA program begins June 20. Summer tuition
costs $100 per credit hour. Because summer sessions are shorter than regular
semesters, instructors must move through material more quickly and the
workload is often much heavier — but that just gives you one more
reason to sit underneath a shade tree, enjoying a cold beverage along with Fundamentals of Chemistry. Now go sign up and, remember — there might be a
pop quiz in the fall. Contact R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com.